Iliana Aragon- A GGT Interview

See down below everything Iliana had to say for they GGT interview!

Dood. Ever since I’ve been doing things in Dallas, I’ve always come across your name in the scene. Whether you’re shooting a show, filming a music video or just interviewing somebody. When did you start doing all of that though? How long has it been?

Iliana: Shooting and editing came to me when I was 10 and somehow followed me into adulthood. Creating short films and documentaries in high school led me to explore Dallas’s scene once I graduated in 2017. I went to UNT for a semester and then dipped because I was always driving to Dallas to shoot. It’s been almost two years since I’ve been floating around the scene.

I’ve seen you post some OLD videos from like middle school or something- I think you were filming with a small digital camera? What’s the earliest video you can remember filming?

Iliana: Film has been my first love since I was a child. One of the earliest videos I remember was me dropping Mentos into a soda can. I thought it was thrilling seeing it fizz up. I also remember filming my neighbors skate or play basketball. Man there’s so much that comes to me, I had a really memorable childhood.

When did you realize you wanted to not only film, but film within the music scene? Who did you first film a music video for in the music scene?

Iliana: I knew I wanted to film in the scene by popping out to open-mics at RBC. I saw so much talent on that stage so I knew there had to be more to discover. Aeronotiqz, ran by Tiron Banks, curated most shows in 2017. I hit him up to come shoot and that was the beginning. Those Green Elephant days were crucial to me linking with people I consider my good friends now. Gwap Gang, Lil Texxan, Daily Ooze, the list goes on.

First music video? Damn. Shoutout Andrew Ray. I filmed my first music video for him collective in 2017 while I attended UNT. In fact lemme link that hoe, this just goes to show everyone starts somewhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHD1K5SkBIY

Who’s your favorite person to film and why?

Iliana: I don’t wanna play favorites, but I can describe my favorite type of person to shoot. If they have great crowd interaction/camera presence, and an open ear to my concepts, then we’ll work together perfectly.

You’ve clearly put a lot of work into the scene, and after working so much you slowly realize that some people in this scene aren’t the… brightest. What’s your biggest pet peeve that you most commonly encounter when working with others?

Iliana: One thing I’ve learned is that communication is key in this industry, and a lot of artists struggle with it. Communication is a two-way street. It could be as serious as finalizing shoot details or letting me know if you’re running late. Being ghosted when I give my rate is irking sometimes as well.

What’s the weirdest/craziest thing you’ve encountered in the scene so far?

Iliana: On a deeper level, I’ve learned that some of the most talented people in this city are assholes. Straight up. I only base this on my personal relationships with said people. It’s crazy how much of a front people put online but it be like that. Don’t be fooled by online personas y’all.

If you had to summarize the Dallas music scene in four words what would they be?

Iliana: We busy makin’ moves.

Now if you had to summarize yourself in four words, what would those words be?

Iliana Aragon: Staying true to me.

Photograph by Oscar Lozado (Tay Money is pictured in center) (Iliana is pictured on the right) — Photograph by Oscar Lozado (*Tay Money* is pictured in center) (Iliana is pictured on the right)

On a completely different subject…If you could smoke a blunt (even if you don’t smoke) with any person in the world. Who would that person be? And why?

Iliana: It was my dream to smoke a blunt with Mac Miller. To this day his death gets me choked up. I would want to talk to him about his evolution. I watched so many of his music videos growing up, and now all I can do is reflect on those. RIP Mac.

Now for the final question… what do people need to know? Summarize as best you can.

Iliana: Success is determined by you and you only. Don’t let social media set imaginary standards. If you’re happy and healthy, in my opinion, you’re succeeding. Be patient and consistent, and then watch what the world brings to you. I’m thankful to be where I am at this moment.

We want to give a massive thank you to Iliana for doing this interview! Make sure you checkout how you can stay plugged into everything they’s doing down below.

Iliana’s Website: https://aragonilianamedia.com/